


Games Are For The Weak

by Acid_Lova, JadeLoverXD



Series: Random stories of fandoms [9]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Are In Hiding But Are Slowly Growing, Another version of a sof Preston, Based on Forced marrige fics but not really, Based on our steadfast observations... We have ruled most of you coming here horny idiots... Like us, Cait is the aunt, Coursers fighting like that scene at the funeral reception in The Other Guys, Danse... You're stupid but I love you, Deacon is the red-headed stepchild nobody wants but really needs, Did you know X6 has 7 in Charisma?, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff Smut And Everything Buff, Hancock is like a dad but its Nick thats the dad and Hancock is the uncle on weed, I ended up making this harder and easier at the same time, ITS A PENTAGON! A LOVE PENTAGON!!, If i can sfop laughing and tyfpe correctly i can say "Only one ass will be worshipped tonight", Imma need yall to toss a few ideas at me because im not sure i can think of anything else, Maxon tries and fails to get what he wants, Multi, Mystery Plot because i have no idea where this is headed, Piper is the older sister and Curie is the youngest that needs to be proteccted, Possible Fivesome M/M/F/M/M, Putting that shit to good use, Someone got shot in the ass help, Soulmate AU, TTW—2020, Wing-span-dick measuring contests, X6 gets what he wants though, Yo! Someones got a wing fetish, inappropriate use of magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 03:41:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22390438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Acid_Lova/pseuds/Acid_Lova, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeLoverXD/pseuds/JadeLoverXD
Summary: After being frozen and thawed out, putting the factions of the Commonwealth in a peaceful state of sorts, and losing her best friend and brother, Nora...Does whatever the girl pleases, even takes her favorite companions out to either help settlements, violently rips apart her enemies and drink their blood (n-no not really cx), making it rain Super Mutant guts, or constantly tries and fail to avoid the Blue-Eyed-Miscreant named Arthur.Follow as she's flirting, OR BEING SEDUCED BY X6 OR MAXON, brutally ripping apart people that somehow arouses X6, wiggling the dead fingers of a mutie at Danse, making Preston loose his marbles like a mother hen and protecting settlements, and being tracked by Maxon every .00002 seconds because he obviously likes Nora. (He and Danse are ass men fight me.)
Relationships: Arthur Maxson/Female Sole Survivor, Deacon & Female Sole Survivor, Female Sole Survivor/X6-88, Paladin Danse/Female Sole Survivor, Preston Garvey/Female Sole Survivor
Series: Random stories of fandoms [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1530671
Comments: 7
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm doing another one. I need to do some SERIOUS CHANGES to WHC so that'll be updated like... In May or August?

Nora stretches her feathered wings in the fading light of the sunset, her white wings bathed in a fiery red and orange and sighs to herself.  
It was a rarity when she was able to have time to herself ever since she left the vault. Being General of the Minutemen, Director for the Institute, and knight to the Brotherhood hadn't eased up an inch—and yet somehow, here she was, enjoying her favorite time of day where night once again chases day for eternity.

On her perch of the old lighthouse near the ruins of Salem, she momentarily forgot about everything that still raged around her. The sun beamed down on her back as she faces the ocean, relaxing and warming.

No one had dared to take the lighthouse back after she cleared the Children of Atom from the place, and made it home to a few Minutemen and farmers who loved being close to the ocean. So she helped in repairing the docks and the boathouse, salvaging what they could from the old boat idly floating and making blueprints for another.

She hadn't thought about using magic, especially since she could trust so few with her secret, and sometimes had to be careful when casting a glamor over their eyes so she could make things seem more believable.

Danse had nearly caught her using her magic to hide her wings on the forecastle of the Prydwen. She'd constantly assured him that there wasn't anything wrong with her (repeatedly and desperately trying to change the subject), even when he'd forced her to go to Cade to get checked out. Though it was nice of her sponsor checking on her, he sure as heck worried alot.

Preston, Piper, Cait, Hancock, and Nick had already figured out before she could even tell them, Codsworth, X6 and Dogmeat didn't have to be told, but Strong had told her that her wings made her look like 'weird bird' and didn't want her wings getting ripped off by another mutant—about the only time he said something that had made sense—and made sure to help her look for items that would help cover the weak spots in her wings. It was sweet, even.

All it took was a beep from her pip-boy and she had a transmission from a settlement that needed more help. The last rays of sunlight had disappeared behind her, and left glittering stars in its departure, as she stood. Even the stars looked different two hundred years into the future. 

Her wings snap shut as she dives off the lighthouse, then reopen in time to glide through the air and land onto dry cracked earth. She walks towards the workshop behind her where she put her backpack and weapons, relaxed mood souring each time her pip-boy beeps the same transmission again.

"I really cannot get some peace around here."

* * *

Nora tosses a signal grenade on the ground and sits on a boulder behind her. Her wings were willed away using magic, like usual, and thankfully not covered in dirt and blood like the rest of her was. She didn't know why she ended up back at the Prydwen (she certainly didn't want to be here after what Maxon had declared), and did her best to avoid the deck an her way to the ladder.

She walks away from the ladder, turning around to glare at the orange flags, and then back only to run into a wall.

"Knight?"

Nora tilts her head up just a bit and flushes. One thing she did not notice was the way his voice... sounded, "Sorry. Got blood on you," she points at his jumpsuit.

Danse frowns at her appearance, nostrils flaring slightly and reaching up to take out a bit of gore from her curly hair and motions for her to follow him, not once even glancing down at the red smudge on his chest. He stops at a door on the left of the ladder an and opens it, "You can clean yourself in here." 

"Ah, thanks but—" 

"Maxon's in the mess hall," he pushes her lightly into the room and closes the door behind him, "he told us about the 'engagement', apparently being all too happy with it."

"He did that because I rejected him a vagina."

A corner of his lip twitches, "Sure."  
Nora takes off her backpack and puts it on the floor next to his desk, watching him from the corner of her eye as he goes into his bathroom, and then she pulls out three wrapped boxes of Fancy Lads from her bag and her vault suit to wear for later.

She stands, the dried blood on her clothes flaking, leaving her hoping she wasn't smelling the room with her stench and walks into the bathroom, "Thanks," she says when he hands her a towel and leaves her alone.

By the time she jumped into the shower, the water was already hot and steamed up the bathroom. She used the soap bar that smelled like nothing and cleaned herself, tripling the efforts into her hair and found more gore tangled into the strands. She shuts off the water and wraps herself in the towel she laid on the countertop and looks herself in the mirror. 

Her hair hung in loose curls down her shoulders, promising to poof up as soon as it was dried so it could torment Nora with the brittleness of her hair. I seriously need to deep condition. 

Her face remained the same as ever, if not a bit rougher than usual, her limbs stronger than before, her usual chubbyness practically gone.  
Nora leans back from the mirror smiles slightly, at least her mother would be proud she got the exercise she really needed. She dries off then puts on the rest of her clothes without bouncing all over the place(it was a tiny bathroom) and breaking something.

"Do you know how many boxes of snack cakes I have?" Danse's voice greets her once she steps out towel drying her hair. His flight suit is unzipped and tied around his waist, exposing his t-shirt and toned arms.

"That a complaint?" She eyes the open box atop his desk and sits on the edge of his bed.

"No," he says too quickly around a cake, "you're spoiling me."

"That sounds like a complaint. I can take them back if—"  
Danse jumps up out of his chair, grabs the boxes and moves to the other side of the room, "You will do no such thing," he says with an accusing glare.

"Aww Danse, don't be such a baby, I was promptly joking," she stops drying her hair and takes the towel off to braid it, "Besides, I don't think you would give up snack cakes for... anything, the Brotherhood is a big maybe in disguise." Even though he didn't have Rhys's attitude, but still bled Brotherhood each and every way, she could see little cracks in him—from her showing him not everything is not completely terrible.

It's a few minutes later when she finishes her braid that she realizes that Danse had gone silent. Out of the corner of her eye, he stares at her with a look of... longing? and looks away when she looks up and asks, "You alright?" 

Before he can say something, three raps sound on the door, and both their eyes snap to the boxes, he thrusts the boxes out to her and mouths, hide them, wipes his face and walks to the door. 

Rolling her eyes, she carefully opens his desk drawer and places them inside before closing it. And freezes when she hears the icy rasp of Maxon.

"Have you seen Knight Vane?"

"Ah—" 

Nora casually steps behind Danse to wrap her arms around his waist and peek over his shoulder at Maxon, "Who's askin'?" She asks in a bored tone, stands on the tips of her toes—because holy lord of go-gurt he was tall—and runs her lips on the tip of Danse's spine in an assuring way. His blue eyes drop down to her arms then to her face and Danse's, who miraculously wasn't tense in her arms. 

"Report to Cade for your exam... after..."

She rolls her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, sure." and waves him away, pulls Danse back into the room and closes the door in his face.

When they hear his retreating footsteps, Nora moves to let him go, but calloused hands wrap around hers, "Why did you do that?" 

Oh boy. Nora presses her face against his back and breathes his woodsy and metallic scent, "I wanted to show him he couldn't own me," his fingers intertwine with hers as his thumbs make circles on the inside of her wrist, _try again._

"You were close to stuttering like a slave in front his master."   
He turns around, staring at her with his brown eyes, "Completely false, but seriously Nora, why?" Nora looks down, surprised his arms are wrapped around her waist, and stares into his eyes.

"I don't know," she mutters, "I just did it without... thinking." Sometimes she gravitated towards people and sometimes she didn't. She once had hugged Preston all throughout his depression one day, got a bit... carried away, and steered clear of him for about a day. Her hand twitches from wanting to rub her lips, then stops herself when she feels her hand lift an inch. _Getting attached means feelings. Feelings mean even more feelings and then it will eventually grow._

"You do this often?"

"Yeah. Been happening ever since I was a kid. Maybe something was going to take a turn in your emotion, maybe not," now she was full out rambling, mostly because of Danse's intense gaze on her (which still confused her and think 'why now'?) and the fact that Cade would probably have to poke and prod at her for her 'exam'.

"Um, Danse?"

"Hm?"

"C-can I maybe just, have my hips back?" It wasn't just her that was completely confused at the moment. Danse blinks, his eyes focusing on where they were as he carefully takes his hands off her hips and avoids her eyes, darting everywhere but her.

"Apologies, Knight," he mutters and walks past her to the bathroom.

* * *

Danse turns on the faucet and splashes his face with cold water. That was the second time he'd nearly slipped in front of Maxon, and third by nearly marking Nora just a few seconds ago. His ears strain for the soft breaths on the other side of the door and find nothing. He looks into the mirror, the circles under his eyes starting to darken and his hair more ruffled with his constant running his fingers through his head.  
He didn't like the fact that Maxon was already putting a claim on his mate. Nora hadn't either, with the way her whole attitude changed when he had opened his mouth. 

He clenches and unclenches his fists, willing the tips of his claws to retract back into his skin and fangs back into his gums and sighs. He knew that she was a half-breed of Fae and Angel. He once had a glimpse of her wings up in the forecastle before she hurried to will them away—the whites of her wings glowing in the darkness above. He continued on, pretending he hadn't seen them only wishing he hadn't, he loved them, and wanted to tell her but fear of her rejection had him thinking about it in more ways than one.

So Danse stares himself down in the mirror and tells himself to work up the courage to speak to Nora. 

That is if he gets enough self-confidence.

* * *

Nora glares at the wall behind Maxon's head. She sits on the hospital bed, arms crossed as Knight-Captain Cade draws the curtains around them.

"Nora—"

"The only way you get to see me naked is if you take me out to dinner, and if that succeeds, which, I highly doubt, take me out some more and then eventually we get married and then we do the 'down 'n dirty'," she interrupts Maxon, "And we aren't on a first-name basis." _Lie. All those times spent on the forecastle said otherwise._

"Knight I just need to see if you're fertile—"

"The only thing I'll show you is my dirty ass-crack."

"—you just need to pee in a cup."

She raises an eyebrow, looks him up and down and mouths, _You pushing your luck._

"Knight Vane, you will do exactly what Cade tells you or you'll regret it."

Nora pretends to look shocked, imitating Piper almost, "Ooh! Threats? You lay hands on ladies when you don't get what you want Maxie?" She picks at a nail, "So dramatic."

"Knight!"

"Look I can't have babies okay?!" She lifts her shirt and uses magic to enlarge and enhance the small scar on her stomach to look jagged and long, "I suffered from a car crash back before the bombs fell and we crashed into a tree, bits of glass and wood flew into my stomach and..." Nora forces fake tears and emotion, "I woke up, my friends who were in the car suffered from brain damage and amnesia, I survived, with a damaged uterus—peeing was really hard to do. Considering that it felt like I was gonna start peeing out my uterus each time I did," the last part was mumbled and she stares again at the wall.

Cade looks between the Elder and Knight, looking even more stressed than he did before.

"Leave us," Maxon says with a stony expression and runs a hand over his face after he leaves, and steps in front of Nora, bracing his hands on either side of her, his face merely inched away from hers, "Why must you be so difficult?"

Raising an eyebrow, she examines a leather clad hand braced on the bed next to her thigh, _Yeah, he's definitely getting too comfortable... not that I'm complaining!_

"I was under the impression you just wanted me for my uterus."

"That's not—"

"Oh sure it is, same thing every man in power needs—a uterus. No, no! Better yet, a vagina just to screw!"

Or maybe she was just over thinking about the entire situation—or not. _Class-A Overthinker here!_

They'd had her here so they could determine whether or not she was fertile with her being over 200 years old. She felt like being used was the only thing she was good for sometimes. That's how it always was before the world ended. You had to give in some kind of way and still had to nowadays, sometimes coming back with nothing in return.

She was also afraid to admit that she's never had gotten down-and-dirty with anyone. She's kissed a few guys here and there, hating each and every one of them shared until she kissed Preston—and boy did he make her insides twist until the only sound that came out of her was a half formed version of a high-pitched sound of affection and a moan. 

But Arthur... was someone she did or didn't want to be with. Actually, the fast few weeks, he'd been acting differently towards her. Which was nice considering he'd been... more vibrant than before. And no one told her he'd had the ability to make her laugh to the point of where she'd think she'd die from lack of oxygen. He was worse than Deacon.

Maxon stays silent, either confirming her doubts or letting her continue her rant, "What is Danse to you?"

"Friend, shoulder to cry on, idiot at times, total sweetheart, need I say more?" 

_Maybe he's mad because I was with Danse._

Maxon stares at her for a beat longer then smirks, as if he knew something she didn't, and steps away from her, "Nice lie," he calls over his shoulder as he walks out of the room. Yeah. She was in deep shit now. At least Cade bought it. 

Right? As long as Maxon let his mouth shut.

Maxon was a complete softie, and irritating softie that was at least upfront with his feelings on the inside. He knew how to discern truth from lie whenever she spoke, but didn't seem to have any negative impact towards her. 

And let's not forget the moment they just shared not ten seconds ago. He still has Danse and Preston to top. _Oh my God, I make this sound like a frickin' competition!_


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh X! You shouldn't have!" 

"Ma—Nora it's just—"

Nora quickly puts a finger to his mouth to silence him, "It isn't just nothing dearest, you just gave me back my gun." She takes it from him and aims inches above his head, grateful it had already been in use by him, and shoots the gunner aiming at the back of his head square in the face.

"My body count is twenty what's yours?"

X6 smiles slightly, a sight she'd been graced with a few times, not the teeny sinister smile she saw with him and Pickman. Never putting those two together again.

A red bolt of a laser streaks past her, missing her by a mere inches. X6 moves quicker than her eyes can track, the action causing her eyes to ache, and grabs the gunner by the arm aimed at his gut, and twists his arm to plunge the knife in his hands, "He makes twenty-four," he says as the man makes one last choked sound and stills.

No. **_Fuck_**.

"Man. It's not fair," she kicks at the ground in frustration like a child.

"The fact that I'm a Courser or the fact that you suck at winning bets?"

"I dunno. What do I have to do?"

X6 was silent for a while, making Nora wonder if she did anything wrong, "Nothing for now."

"That's it?"

Another small smile, and behind his shades, he couldn't tell if he was joking with her or being serious, "Do you want it to be?"

"Nevermind, I will gladly take nothing as a prize." Last time she lost a bet she had to stop collecting useless items for a week. Which was greatly appreciated by her other traveling companions, except for Dogmeat. The Good Boy would never judge her. 

Clearly she needed to stop ruining X6, but that wasn't going to happen. _Proud mother of another deadly synth baby._

Stepping outside of the old warehouse, more bodies littered the ground, blood polling underneath them and unmoving; and sometimes she forgot that over two-hundred years ago, she wasn't head-shotting or decapitating her enemies, no matter how much she wished to at times.

She casually links her arm through X6's, snickering at his attempt to get her to let go, "X6-88 ready to relay with—"

"Six I swear it's like you're doing this just because you enjoy me being annoyed."

"Paybacks a bitch," he whispers, thinking she couldn't hear him once she moves a few yards away from her.

"Never heard you say that one before."

"There are many things you never hear me say." He says, his tone not revealing anything.

Nora picks up an arm that's missing from one of the many corpses around and waggles the fingers at him, the blood not affecting her like it did to her before, "Like what? Ooh, do you curse the Institute staff behind their backs?" 

"Once I nearly called X4-18 a fuckwad for stepping on my foot."

Nora raises a brow and tossed away the hand, "If I stepped on your precious courser toes would you curse me?"

"That depends upon the level of internal rage I still feel."

"You? Internal rage? You are harmless enough that you can't even harm the most innocent person alive. "

"Name one."

Nora puts her hands on her hips, grinning at the look X6 gives her behind his shades, "Curie."

"... _Fuck_."

* * *

"I cleared out two places in three days, I think that's a big accomplishment for me." Nora stretches her wings out, feeling the pleasant burn and sighing to herself.

"Don't I at least get any credit in one of those?" X6 leans against the white and black walls of her room in the Institute, the lights dimmed enough to where he blends into a corner away from the lights on the closed balcony.

They'd just gotten back from helping one of her settlements' few problems, her dealing with more complaints from the Institute scientists, and showering the day's worth of blood and sweat off of her.

"Yes?" When he doesn't answer, raises her head up to find him sitting opposite of her, "Alright, alright, kudos to you for helping me."

She shuts her wings and stands, the weight of her wings feeling like a backpack that's attached to her, but not uncomfortable weight and feels like—is like—an extra extension of her body, and sits next to him, her head leaning against his shoulder.

The chairs had been modified to accommodate her wings, thanks to her brother who's wings were bigger than hers. X6 didn't look any different as he sat on the couch, taking up one whole of the two seater.

"I'm bored," she mutters.

"Then stop being bored."

"You sound just like my mom!" She moves her head off his shoulder, _"'Aurora! If you're bored then go outside and get some Vitamin C! Aurora! How can you be bored when you're constantly on that phone! Aurora! If you're bored then stop being—'"_ Nora shrieks, X6 picking her up effortlessly and sitting her on his lap facing him, her reflection barely showing in the dim room on his shades. His hands rest a bit above her hips, how nice of him since she went from being bored to flustered on 0.02 seconds.

"Whatareyoudoing?" Comes out in a rush from her mouth, covering her flustered face with her jacket sleeves.

"You said you were bored," he states.

"I-ah, yeah."

"Now you're flustered."

"How was I supposed to know you'd... do this?"

A corner of his lip pulls up, "You weren't, but, it's part of the bet you lost."

Nora blinks, not processing what he said until he says something to her, "I... see."

"May I?" He nods down to his hands positioned above her waist. Nora swallows, her wings ruffling behind her and nods her consent. 

X6 watches her face for any negative reaction as he moves a hand up to cup her jaw, like she's done for him a few times, and positions the other on her waist, his hand pressing into her side causing shivers to creep up her spine. She reaches up, grabbing the sides of his glasses and pushing them up to rest on the crown of his head. His steel grey eyes stare back into hers as she does, moving his arm to wrap around her waist and bring her closer.

Nora moves first, putting her lips to his and moving them slowly as he mimics her movement until he does exactly what she does. He was still stiff in his movements underneath her, relaxing slowly as their lips moved together in sync with each other. They pull back, Nora staring wide eyed at the Courser, her face redder than it was before. First Preston now Six.

"So... how was that?"

"I think I'm malfunctioning. Is there supposed to be something happening in my chest?"

"...No?" She thinks for a moment, "I mean you're a synth so you would be foreign to feelings of... intimacy."

"Was that intimate?"

"Okay if this was part of the bet you had to have known that it's intimate," she says in a low voice, "Just for some people."

X6 tilts his head to the side a bit, "Some people?"

"People that don't want feelings attached," she didn't dare add in sex. Ever since she's taught him to be independent without the Institute, he's learned mostly from her, and everything he learns, he usually finds ways to incorporate them into things. It's like telling a three-year old toddler what and what not to do, "For instance: intimacy."

"And you're one of those people?"

Good question. "I-I've never been asked that," he waits patiently, staring expectantly back at her, "I guess? I don't know. With the right person maybe." 

He's about to open his mouth to ask something else when a rap of knuckles sound at the door, scaring the both of them.

In a blink, X6 has one of his hands shooting up to brace her as he stands, his other going to his shades to put them back on the bridge of his nose.

"Nora it's Allie."

A devious smile pulls at the corner of his lips. Not some of the ones she's witnessed in Pickman's Gallery, no. _I've went to far and put too much crazy juice in my lemonade. Or wait, wait. Is he rather considered a tall drink of water? No, a frozen cup of water—wait no that's me._

"Uh I'm in the shower," 

_No_ , She mouths to him taking a few steps back, just as he takes a step closer to her, closing the distance between them in just one huge freaking step. Just imagine an artist drawing someone's leg and turns out they're drawing one long-ass squiggly leg taking one giant step.

"Lies. Hurry up and put your clothes on. We need to talk." But Allie's statement had went over her head, barely even registering what she said. 

X6 leans in, his hands on her waist to pull her flush with him, him having to practically have his neck at an angle just to kiss her. One time Deacon kneeled on the ground to be her height for a full day, she's never been more grateful or offended before—of course, he got away with it too. Deacon was practically her brother from another mother.

"Consider this payback going for always wearing that suit."

"Hold on a—" He pulls her into a rough kiss, so tender yet so... demanding, all at once. He steals the breath right out of her lungs, and when he makes to pull back, she tries to keep him there by whimpering and tugging him back in. _How did he know to do that? How the he'll did her learn... Did he practice on a fucking pillow?!_

He nips at her bottom lip in response and smirks, "I might have to start doing this more often," he muses, then he moves away a great distance, his piercing grey eyes showing nothing as his glasses find their way back on his face, before he says loudly enough that even Allie can hear, "Are you going to let Director Filmore in?" Dear God I've done it again. What have I been teaching him?!

Nora knew what he meant by payback. It's not her fault the vault suits were comfortable as heck. She was even wearing her favorite suit. Even if it so happens to bunch up her emotional support boobs.

"Well it's about time. Unit, report to the Bureau, Ayo wants all Coursers there."

"Affirmative," maybe she was still riding out the high from the kiss, but his voice had her ready to melt into another puddle again. Or maybe he was doing it on purpose. _Damn Institute and their voice kinks!_

Once he was out of earshot, Allie turned on her and looked her up and down, "Dear goodness you're blushing like crazy!"

"Blushing? I'mnotblushing," she says all too quickly.

"Your feathers are ruffled." Yep. She doesn't make an effort to relax herself either.

"I'm irritated."

"Honey I've been around your brother long enough to tell emotion from wings—" 

Nora grips Allie by the shoulders and gently shakes her and hisses,

_"Don't tell anyone I kissed a Courser..."_

The look of disappointment afterwards had her teeth grinding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I change something in here or nah? If so lemme know. That rhymed. XD  
> HAPPY BELATED VALENTINE'S DAY TO ALL US SINGLES 💕  
> (My God I'm so late)
> 
> •Only Nora's mother called her Aurora seeing as though it was well... Her mommy!  
> •Nora only wants everyone to call her Nora because it is much easier to say. And she gets flashbacks so yeah.  
> •X6 drops f-bombs because he still thinks he could've knocked X4-18 on his ass for stepping on his foot so don't be alarmed. More fights of those two coming right up.  
> •There's a Tumblr post where X6 says bitch in deadpan, credits go to whoever that was...ICR


	3. Chapter 3

  
"These kids need training General—"

"And I am doing my best to provide that Ronnie. Cait said she would teach the older kids hand-to-hand and Danse said he'd take care of the kids in weaponry," Nora wipes her forehead with the back of her hand, already stressed with the information that's being brought to her,

"Anything else?"

"Not at the moment General. Just bringing the concerns of the people to you."

Nora's eyebrows furrow, "Since when did you become the messenger?"

"Since shit went sideways. Anything else?" She answers back, her eyes narrowing on Nora as a challenge to continue. She knew better than to take the bait, so she just waved the look away.

"Preston?"

"That's all for now. Thanks Ronnie."

Ronnie nods and leaves the room, the door shutting behind her and leaving the two in silence, save for the crashing of waves against the castle walls and chatter and clanking of metal outside.

She opens her mouth, ready to make a comment on how much Ronnie reminded of her grandmother when she finds Preston looking at her, his eyes wide and surprised.

"What?"

His eyes slide down to her hand in her shirt. She hadn't even realized she started subconsciously started to rub her breast.

"Its my emotional support boob," she says simply.

"No offense but, can you... stop?"

Ouch. Wait he meant no offense. 

Nora sits up, not taking her hand from her suit, "Do you not like my supportive boob?"

"Yes—I mean no—I—"

"Relax I was just messing with you," she smiles as he dips his hat to cover his face out of embarrassment, "But seriously though—"

"Nora stop."

"I was just gonna say that Ronnie reminds me of my grandma."

"No you weren't."

"Like, right before you were staring at me for groping my boob—"

 _"Nora!"_ he hisses. She was pretty sure he was dying of embarrassment underneath his hat, which was both amusing and cute.

_Crap, I'm catching feelings._

"Yeah babe?" Preston let's out a long exhale, "Okay I'll stop, she takes her hand out of her suit but leaves it unzipped due to the heat, "But seriously if you died of embarrassment I think I would gush for no reason over your body."

"Why?"

Nora jumps out of her seat and makes her way over to the corner he chose to stand in, bats away his hat and grips both his cheeks,

"Because you're so goddamn adorable that's why," she giggles and makes to move away, until he grabs her hand, not quite meeting her eye.

"Not adorable," he mutters.

"Shush. Retaliation will do you no good," she hadn't removed her hand from his, absently running a finger over his knuckles.

After a while, he raises his head, brown eyes staring back into hers, "I never got the chance to thank you for last week." 

And now that Nora thinks about it, she was practically groping her breast in front of Preston without realizing. Her realization must've shown on her face because it was his turn to smirk, "Embarrassed?"

"Fuck yes! I was practically—"

Preston grasps her gently by the arms, silencing anymore of what she was going to say, "It's alright, Nora. Really." She could tell he was also trying to get over it too by distracting himself with something else.

"Anyways, before that you were saying something?" 

"Thank you. For last week, I mean." For listening to how he contemplated a way to die. And for saving him and the last survivors of Quincy.

Her face heats, and she looks to the wall behind him, "Hey, my ears are always open." 

Maybe it was just a trick playing on her ears, but she was sure she heard him mutter, _Oh shit_ , under his breath.

* * *

For the remainder of the day Nora and Preston were stuck making sure every settlement hadn't had any surprise visits from the Commonwealth's miscreants and rodents. Some trading caravans came and went, patrolls between settlements switched every 14-18 hours and had one close call with a brotherhood night accidentally gunning down a Minutemen guard. Yep, everything's just dandy.

Nora rubs her sweaty forehead, cringing at the grease that got on her face and wipes it on the rag hanging on the weapons workbench. At night, everything seemed... muted, almost. If she listened closer she'd probably hear an atomic explosion of a fat-man, or even a car exploding. And with those cars still being able to explode like that, couldn't someone at least attempt to fix one up?

"Ow! Fuck!" Nora shakes her bruising thumb and had to resist the urge to stick it in her mouth. Not having a repeat.

"What now?" Maccready questions from his corner, eyes not moving from the Grognak in his hands.

"Pardon. I meant do-dum-diddly-fruck that hurt." She pushes away a piece that went to her rifle as he nods his approval, "My dad was just like you. He wanted to refrain from cursing..."

Mac rolls his eyes "So you've told me a thousand times."

"But you just remind me of him!" 

"Mhm. What was it this time that had you nearly breaking your hand?"

"I thought that if the things in cars are enough to create an explosion, can't we at least find the parts to it at Corvega and fix one up?"

Maccready puts down the book and opens his mouth, then closes it, "Sometimes my genius is just... too genius huh?"

"Whoever told ya that lie needs to find the tallest building and jump off it." A snort later and Cait appears, scratching her already unkempt mess of a head, "What gave ye that idea anyways?"

"I woke up this morning and just thought about it," she lifts her head and grins at Cait, "So does that mean I need to jump off the nearest building?"

She waves a dismissive hand, and leaves, "Yer life. Heal that hand already." 

_Knew I was forgetting to do something._ She channels her magic into her hands, dim light lighting up on the inside of her hand reforming the broken thumb joint and snapping it back into place. She flexes it a bit when she finishes, moving her thumb around in serious circles and bending it.

"So anyways I think I'll get Sturges to talk sense into me," she continues casually.

"And why does Sturges be the Chosen One?" Mac asks.

"Because the ideas I had formed were really chaotic and I think I worried him a bit." She then decided she didn't want to see another worrying look from him ever again, even if that meant tossing those weird ideas onto Deacon.

She looks at the time on her pip-boy, and blinks, "It's weird, I'm an adult and I don't have a nap time schedule."

"Did people from before the war have nap time?" 

"Hell no we had to pay bills and taxes. And that was supposed to kill us before the bombs did—" she gasps, and looks at Maccready with wide eyes, "But the bombs didn't kill me so that means... I still have to pay bills and taxes?!"

"If yer that frightened just go to bed!" Cait yells from the other room.

"I don't tell you how to live your life!"

* * *

_"Arthur seriously—"_

_"Just think about it."_

_"I don't..." Nora closes her eyes tightly and exhales loudly through her nose, the Prydwen so high in the sky it felt normal, "I don't... I'm not sure..."_

_"But I am," he moves away until their arms are no longer touching, and holds out the object to her while standing on the railing, "Eat the Jar-Jar."_

* * *

She wakes up, her eyes wide open and blinking. 

_I need some bleach for my brain. Brain bleach. Heh. Wait why was he on the railing?_

She sits up, reaching for the water bottle in her nightstand and takes a gulp, the water passing right through her empty stomach causing her mouth to water.

"Ugh, I hate my dreams," She hisses as she walks to the bathroom and pauses, "Deacon you shape-shifter I can smell you."

"Damn, what gave me away?" Arms wraps around her and crush her into a hugShe returns the hug and sniffs, "I can smell the wind and water on you, where've you been?"

"As if you don't already know the answer..." He lets her go and crouched down to her height, hands on his knees, "Nowhere."

She scowls and goes into the bathroom, "You know I could always track down where you've been—"

"Promise me that you won't," he cuts her off.

"What?" 

"Promise me that you won't do that."

"Mmh, can't really make a promise like that but... Sure. I won't." 

He grabs her arm and lifts his shades up, _"Promise,"_ he says, almost with a hint of desperation in his blue eyes to let her know he was serious.

"Alright I promise," she stares at him for a moment longer, "At least tell me something?"

Deacon shakes his head, "I can't, sorry." 

One of the reasons why she'd never join the Railroad was because they were built on too much secrecy and paranoia. She understood some parts of what they did, but living in a deceptive household had ruined her as a kid.

"Des forcing you to keep your mouth shut or it's just you?"

"Nora—"

Before he finishes, the door opens and a head peeks from behind it,

"You decent?" Piper asks

"I mean, with the messy, sorta knotted braid, I'd say Nora is uncaring about decency." Which was true. Last week a group of raiders had tried to attack the Castle in the middle of the night and she came out only wearing her favorite thin t-shirt. May it rest in shreds.

"Deacon get out!" 

He puts his hand on his chest dramatically, "Sister bear! I missed you!"

Piper's lips tighten as she rolls her eyes and walks into the room, "Out. Unless you're up for girl talk."

"Just get the tea going and we can paint each other's nails." He waves behind him as he leaves, and as he does, Nora notices a slight limp as he walks.

"So. Blue."

"Faerie."

She pushes her shoulder, "Half-blood krip." 

"Wait. Why are you here?" 

"Oh. Someone pushed Maxie off the Prydwen."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I remember my first time playing fallout 4. My first companion ('sides Dogmeat) was Deeks and when I got to max affinity I was so disappointed we couldn't romance him.
> 
> I read a prompt somewhere on Pinterest that visions aren't just visions, they're just with something a little bit crazy added with the vision to either confuse the person/people receiving the vision, or just give them a laugh.


End file.
